A method of this type and a corresponding wind turbine (WT) are known. In this method the rotor of the wind turbine, upon exceeding a rotational speed limit nlim determined by a static rotational speed limit value, is forcible braked by increasing the blade pitch angle α (“pitch out of the wind”) with a higher positive blade pitch angle movement rate, and the turbine is shut down in order to avoid significant mechanical stresses as a result of high rotational speed. During the course of forcible braking, the feeding of energy by the turbine into the electrical grid is stopped and the rotational speed is slowed significantly. In general, the turbine is in a state of spinning after braking in which no energy is fed into the grid.
After such a forcible braking the condition of the wind turbine must first be checked. The turbine, since it was shut down, must then be put back in operation. Such a restart may potentially be carried out by an operator at a remote control station. In some cases, however, this operator must be on site in order to start up the turbine. This brings with it additional costs and the restart is delayed. In any case, the energy fed by the turbine in the event of such braking is interrupted for a certain period of time.